Monetary Policy during Transition: An Overview

January 1997 In transition economies monetary stability goes hand in hand with adjustment in the real sectors. Subsidies and central bank support of public enterprises to help maintain employment and output are ultimately financed by creating money, reducing the options for market-based monetary policy regardless of how market-oriented the monetary system. De Melo and Denizer examine monetary policy in 26 transition countries in Europe and Central Asia from 1989 to 1995. In a socialist economy money and credit are largely determined as a residual. In a market economy monetary policy plays an active role in economic management and economic efficiency is believed to be improved by variety and sophistication in financial instruments. De Melo and Denizer classify these 26 countries by the extent of market orientation in the use of instruments of monetary policy, by indicators of policy stance, and by broad measures of effectiveness. They evaluate these three dimensions by cross-country comparison over the transition period and at the time of stabilization. They find several clear patterns. By the end of 1994 slightly fewer than half the countries were relying mainly on market-oriented monetary instruments. More than half exhibited low to moderate reliance on them. Countries that quickly formulated a monetary policy response after the break from central planning were more likely to switch to market-oriented instruments. Central and Eastern European countries moved more rapidly than countries of the former Soviet Union toward these instruments. The use of credit ceilings was helpful in the year of stabilization, especially in the Central and Eastern European countries. The elimination of credit controls was associated with effective stabilization. Policy stance, as measured by base money growth and the real discount rate, was effective in helping to reverse un...